Play with Purpose: How Pediatric Physical Therapy Builds Strength Through Fun
At Skills on the Hill Pediatric Therapy, we believe that the best therapy is therapy your child enjoys. That’s why our pediatric physical therapy (PT) sessions disguise strength-building as play – supporting gross motor development, endurance, balance, postural control, and functional skills through creative, child-led movement activities.
Why Play Is the Best Kind of Therapy
Young children learn by doing and exploring. Whether it’s climbing monkey bars, pretending to be superheroes, or racing across a room, these movements naturally strengthen muscles, improve coordination, and build confidence all while feeling like fun. Our therapists are expert “playmates”, turning activities like swings, obstacle courses, ball games, or character-themed challenges into opportunities to increase strength and motor planning without your child realizing they’re doing “work.”
Here’s what pediatric physical therapy supports:
- Postural control: Developing better balance, body awareness, and quality of movement
- Gross motor skills: Crawling, climbing, running, jumping, navigating playground equipment, and more
- Muscle tone and strength: Supports low-tone children by enhancing endurance through fun activities
Explore Our Ongoing Programs
In addition to our one-on-one PT services, Skills on the Hill offers several dynamic programs that integrate purposeful physical activity with broader support:
Developmental Screening
Whether completed online or with a therapist in person, these screenings look at key areas like motor skills, speech, attention, and self-regulation, and provide helpful next steps – whether that’s simple activities to try at home or a referral for further evaluation.
EXERSHINEkids Power Bootcamp
A targeted bootcamp that blends strength, focus, and confidence-building through playful strength and movement circuits. We are now enrolling for fall groups.
Social Groups
These programs encourage children to navigate play in social contexts, boosting coordination, turn-taking, and endurance while building friendships and social confidence.
We also offer Easy Rider Bike Riding Instruction and Executive Functioning Support, all of which incorporate physical skills, motor planning, and community participation while remaining separate from our focus on strength and motor development.
New Program: Infant Feeding Support
Feeding difficulties in the first few weeks and/ or months of a baby’s life are challenging for the whole family. Difficulties with latch, suck, tongue movement and control, and feeding endurance can impact the way a baby engages with feeding at the breast or with a bottle. Aside from impacting weight gain and appropriate hydration, difficulties with feeding can impact sleep, level of engagement, and overall temperament. Many factors inside the mouth and throughout an infant’s whole body can affect the way they feed. Other factors such as positioning and feeding method can also impact overall mealtime experience and success.
Signs that your family might benefit from infant feeding support:
- Your baby is not gaining weight as expected
- Your baby had a tongue tie release but there was no improvement in the latch
- Your baby takes longer than you would expect to complete a feeding, or loses liquid out of their mouth
- Your baby does not latch to a bottle or a breast, and only feeds from one instead of switching between both methods of feeding
- Your baby feeds better on one side than the other (either on one breast vs the other, or when being held in one arm vs the other to take a bottle)
- Your baby causes pain to nipples while feeding
An infant feeding evaluation at Skills on the Hill will consider oral motor skills, postural strength, symmetry, and endurance, and environmental factors that influence a baby’s ability to feed effectively and efficiently.
Taking a whole baby and whole family approach to feeding, Skills on the Hill therapists will support families in their journey from the first weeks of a liquid diet through to the introduction of solids foods. Progress in this area can truly change the dynamics of a family that is feeding 10+ times a day.
If you are concerned about your baby’s feeding skills, contact Skills on the Hill to learn more about how our therapists can help. We have several therapists with advanced training specifically in the area of infant feeding, and one is a Certified Lactation Counselor. If you have lactation concerns, please specify that you need to see the CLC while completing the intake questionnaire.
Backpack Safety: Protecting Growing Bodies This School Year
As kids gear up for a new school year, one thing they’ll likely be carrying every day is their backpack. While it may seem like a simple school supply, an overloaded or poorly fitted backpack can contribute to posture issues, shoulder strain, and even back pain especially in growing children. Here are a few easy ways to keep your child’s spine safe and strong all year long:
Choose the Right Backpack
Look for one with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.
A waist or chest strap can help distribute weight more evenly.
The size of the backpack should be proportional to your child’s torso, not hanging below their hips.
Pack It Light
A full backpack should weigh no more than 10-15% of your child’s body weight.
Encourage your child to only carry what they need for the day.
Heavier items should be packed closest to the back of the bag to reduce strain.
Teach Healthy Habits
Make sure your child uses both shoulder straps-no slinging over one side!
Help them organize their backpack weekly to remove clutter and lighten the load.
If their bag is still too heavy, talk to the school about locker access or digital resources to reduce daily items.
At Skills on the Hill, we help children build the core strength and postural control they need for daily activities like carrying a backpack without strain or fatigue. If your child struggles with posture, endurance, or frequent aches, our pediatric therapy team is here to help!
When to Reach Out
If your child shows signs of delay in mobility, difficulty climbing stairs, frequent falls, or low endurance for playground play, it may be time to explore pediatric PT. We offer in-person screenings and consultations to help you decide whether PT is right for your child and to begin a customized plan moving forward.
Meet Our Team
Recipe of the Month: Mini Dessert Tacos
These mini dessert tacos are a fun and delicious treat that make the perfect dessert or snack—plus, they’re a great activity to make with your kids! Whether you’re planning a family night, hosting a party, or just looking for a creative way to satisfy your sweet tooth, these bite-sized tacos are easy to assemble and endlessly customizable. From fruity fillings and creamy spreads to sprinkles and chocolate drizzle, your kids will love choosing their own toppings and getting hands-on in the kitchen. Not only are they a tasty treat, but they’re also a great way to spend quality time together and spark some culinary creativity!
Ingredients:
- sliced white bread
- butter
- Nutella
- strawberries, bananas, or any other fruit of your choice
Instructions:
- Using a cookie cutter or a glass, cut a large circle out of a slice of white bread. Then, use a rolling pin to flatten it.
- Butter both sides of the bread and add it to a pan over medium heat. Toast each side until golden brown (1-2 minutes per side).
- Remove the bread from the pan, and fold it in half to form the taco shell. Be careful, because the bread will be hot. (It’s important to do this right away because once the bread cools, it will become hard and will not be malleable.)
- Spread Nutella on the inside of the taco shell. Then add sliced fruit. Enjoy!
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